Herald of Winter
by xPaperWingsx
Summary: During the periods of winter, it's best to avoid the melancholy weather by staying inside. But Tino decides to stay outside, and perchance has his very first encounter with a gentle giant. Sweden x Finland. Rating T just to be safe. DISCONTINUED.
1. Chapter 1

Winter seemed endless, its herald everlasting. Snow snugly blanketed around like a fresh white paper created such a fuzzy feeling and lingering of Christmas, but winter was never like that. No, harsh winds buffeted every moving thing as it howled, mourning terribly of the dread of winter. Along with frequent downpours and occasional hails, the weather was anything but. It had great effects on the students of Hetalia Academy as well. Being bundled up did no such luck as winter's attacks continued mercilessly? Students always came in drenched, chilled to the bone, and always, always grumpy. Even the happiest were downcast as they woke up every morning to another dreary day.

However, to a particular Finnish boy, the weather was something he simply overlooked. Tino Väinämöinen was, in fact, used to the weather as his home country had similarities in extreme seasons. His morning was just the same as he woke up, earlier than most would. His short, honey locks of hair were mussed up from tossing around the bed, and his violet eyes, like a lackluster jewel, were dull. It was until a chilling pass of air sent an involuntary shudder up his spine that Tino fully awoke and got ready for school. The scalding water cascading down his bare back shot pain up his spine, but Tino soon relaxed as his body warmed to the temperature. After a relaxing shower that soothed Tino from his fatigue, he quickly dressed and ate breakfast. He was putting the dishes away when a knock resounded through the empty room, accompanied by the faint echoes of rolling thunder. The Finn opened the door as a bespectacled blond with olive green eyes poised.

"Moi! Eduard!" Tino exclaimed and ran to hug his friend. The Estonian, slightly flustered with Tino's warm affections, promptly colored several shades before clearing his throat.

"Good morning Tino."

"Why, what brings you here this early?" the Finn asked.

"Well, I was hoping we could walk to school together. You see, Raivis left pretty early this morning to the library, and I usually walk with him. Besides, we haven't talked in a while." Tino smiled eagerly and returned the offer with another tender hug.

"Of course! Let me get my umbrella and we'll set off." Grabbing his book bag and umbrella, Tino locked the door to his dorm room while shifting a scarf around his neck. The two walked to school in the dreadful storm but paid no attention to the brooding weather as they enjoyed a conversation. As they arrived at the familiar rusty black school gates, Eduard bid Tino goodbye as he had to deliver Raivis his lunchbox. Left alone in spare time before school started, Tino vaguely wondered what he should do. It was the best- if not most obvious- choice to stay inside and warm himself by the fire in the lobby, or go find one of his friends. But somehow, his mind and heart concluded to staying wet outside and go exploring. So Tino set off in his own thrill of adventure, the rain unable to dampen his mood.

To the side of the entrance of school was a small clearing where students hung out in their free time, but today, nobody wanted to sit on the frozen ground and have rain struck upon them. But Tino noticed somebody crouching in the distance and cocked his head in curiosity. Hesitant, he made his way over, trying not to disturb whatever it was they were doing, but just enough to get a glance.

"Excuse me..." whatever words Tino was going to bring up quickly died out as the being turned. Tino noticed the look in male's bespectacled eyes: sea eyes slowly brewing a tempest within the deepest depths that swallowed Tino under his gaze. The young Finn froze in horror, body stiff in unthinkable fear. It was until the male slowly stood up to tower over the smaller blond that Tino got the message:

Run.

"Wah! ExcusemeI'msorry!" he stumbled out before running into the school corridors faster than a strike of lightning. He didn't stop his legs until he was safe and sound, hidden behind the lobby's couch. Tino breathed heavily as his heart slowly died down to its normal rate. What on earth had just happened? The flash of those hard eyes brimming with unreadable emotions made Tino shudder in fear. Oh, what had he done? Why, why, did he have to be so curious as to disturb the giant who probably wanted to be left alone?

The Finnish student exhaled a gasp as his mind continued to torture him, harboring thoughts of consequences with his actions. Was the giant a bully? Maybe he was going to hunt down Tino for bothering him. Or even worse, get mauled by a gang the giant was part of? The violent actions continued to resonate through his head as it slowly began to block off the rest of the world. So enraptured by his own fears, Tino did not notice a figure approaching him.

"And who is this?" But he definitely heard the voice as Tino let out a startled and unmanly squeak as he turned around to see another blonde beside him, however, his bushy eyebrows stood quite out; the feature seemed quite similar to Peter's.

"Ah! Arthur-san!" the Finn greeted to the student council vice-president. Arthur gave a wary smile.

"Why are you wet, Tino?" he asked. It was in that instant that Tino realized he had dropped his umbrella in the sheer stupor of his encounter outside.

"A-Ah...well...I...I forgot it at home," he stuttered, rubbing his arm sheepishly, partly as well to warm himself. Arthur raised one of his thick brows but made no further instigation.  
"Um...Arthur-san? C-Can I ask a question?"

"Sure. What is it?" Tino scratched the side of his head.

"Well what's the name of a really tall blonde guy with glasses at our school?" Arthur knitted his brows together, puzzled over the sudden out-of-blue question. The Finn, noting the vice-president's confused look, decided to explain.

"I...uh, I saw him so I was just wondering who he was."

"Ah, well. By your descriptions...I'd say you probably ran into Berwald."

"Berwald...Berwald," Tino repeated, the name so foreign to his tongue. Yet as he repeated it, he liked how it sounded, how smoothly it rolled off his lips. While Tino mentally repeated the name to himself, thinking how appropriate it was to the latter, Arthur never took his eyes off the younger student, his sea green eyes gazing at the Finn intently.

"Are you sure you did nothing else with Berwald than meet him?" The blonde questioned, slowly laying out the hint that there might have been something going on between the two. But, Tino simply blinked.

"Of course!" His voice raised an octave higher and cracked slightly, a clue that Tino was lying. But the blonde did not want to get his vice-president stuck into any of his problems even if he hadn't met with Berwald…yet. The British male cocked another one of his shaggy eyebrows, not entirely convinced with Tino. Luckily, the bell rang that moment and Arthur dismissed the Finn. As the younger blonde disappeared behind a corner, Arthur let out a sigh, slightly disturbed by his sudden thoughts of Tino with Berwald.

"I really have hung out too much with Francis," he muttered softly before leaving the lobby.


	2. Chapter 2

Well, hi! :D Sorry for no introduction or anything in the first chapter. I had no idea how to edit it...

Thank you to all the viewers for reading the first chapter, love you all!

To my very first reviewer (PianoIsLove): Thank you so much for your kind words! I'll try my best! :D

So, for chapter updates, I'm thinking I might publish one every one-to-two days. I'm not exactly sure how many chapters this story will take but we'll see xD

I decided to publish this chapter today since I was so ecstatic from all the views.

Again thank you so much and please enjoy the second chapter!

* * *

The weather that morning had not been so drastic has the day before. Instead, light drizzles sprinkled across the land like fairy dust, covering the frozen landscapes with another layer of rain. Unfortunately, it did not make the students feel any better as gusts of wind buffeted through their layers of clothes and chilled them down to their very bones. Tino shivered and rubbed his arms for some warmth though it barely did any good as another breeze whispered through the empty terrain. It was break time, and while most were inside warming by the fire, Tino decided to stay outside with a cup of hot cocoa. The rich sweet liquid warmed his insides and he drank contently, smacking his lips blissfully.

His mind could not get off yesterday's events. Those emotionless eyes Berwald had haunted him the night before in his dreams as the Finn imagined himself in almost exaggerating positions. He shuddered, hoping to not run into the towering blonde again. But Tino had to admit that there was something about Berwald that sort of…attracted him. Not in a romantic attraction of course, but…there was something about him that made Tino curious. His curiosity could not have found a more mysterious being to target on as his mind was now filled with Berwald. And of course, the eternal question had still surfaced: what had the blonde been doing?

Still keen on figuring out the truth, Tino made his way to the clearing where they had their first encounter. However, there wasn't anyone or anything, much to his disappointment. The young male let out a sigh, puffs of warm air slowly fading. What had he expected anyway?

"Wh't're y' do'n h're?" a husky voice murmured accompanied by a startled shriek. Tino turned on his heels so quickly that he nearly doubled over on the slippery ground. The giant loomed over his small body, those firm eyes ever present on him. Tino felt his heart jump to full panic, his mind suddenly reverting to his dreams. Oh dear god, was he really going to get beaten up?

"I-I…." His tongue was dysfunctional at that moment as if tied into a knot, and Tino let out a whimper instead, his lilac orbs wide and brimming with tears.

A yelp echoed through the tension as Berwald stiffened (though his present form resembled a statue). Tino blinked as another yelp followed suit, this time louder. The Finnish student glanced up at Berwald whose eyes were rested on the willow bushes just near them. The giant moved, startling Tino as his assumptions were to interrogate him violently. But instead, Berwald moved past Tino to the bushes and knelt down. His hands brushed aside the branches as fresh snow powdered on his jacket. The whimpers and yelps grew more frequent and loud as Berwald continued to crouch on the ground, just as Tino had seen him yesterday.

When Berwald turned around, Tino's eyes immediately homed in on the object snuggling into the blonde's chest. At first, the young Finn believed that he was holding a pile of snow. But it had eyes, a nose cute as a button, and a pink tongue.

"A puppy!" Tino exclaimed in excitement, holding his hands out, ushering the dog to come to him. The dog happily leapt out of Berwald's arms and into Tino's. The younger blonde laughed delightedly as the puppy kissed him all over his cheeks. Tino, much too infatuated with the puppy, had forgotten about Berwald in the last moment. But he did notice those eyes softened, staring at him in wonder. Tino suddenly felt shy under the curious gaze and averted his own, instead focusing on the dog.

"U-Um…sorry a-about yesterday," he managed to mumble out, smoothing the dog's fur. Berwald blinked as if he had been thrown back to reality. The taller blonde gave a nod.

"'s 'kay." Those words comforted Tino and all his fears and conclusions suddenly faded into relief.

"S-So…are you taking care of this dog?" Tino asked quietly. He gave another nod.

"F'nd h'm h're in th' c'ld." His accent was thick and Tino was barely able to make out the words, but he understood after a while. Unbeknownst, a smile blossomed on his face as Tino realized the giant was very gentle. But he felt a twinge of guilt tug his heart for assuming Berwald was a mean and monstrous kind of guy. Apologetic, Tino hoped maybe a conversation would help them to get to know each other.

"What's his name?" he asked handing the puppy- resembling a snow ball- back to its rightful owner.

"N'me?" the gentle giant questioned, puzzled.

"Well, pets usually have names don't they?"

"I h'dn't th'ght 'f one," Berwald stated. Tino chuckled softly, petting the unnamed creature. Being so close to Berwald, the Finn detected a waft of pine and wood. The scent reminded Tino of the time when he and his father went out to chop wood for the fire. He remembered loving the smell of freshly cut oak bundled in his arms. The warm memories tugged another smile as Tino continued to silently breathe in the rough, outdoorsy aroma.

A soft rumble echoed through the peace as the placid giant spoke.

"'m B'rw'ld." The smile never left his face as Tino looked up at his new acquaintance, never realizing how breathtaking it was to Berwald, his mind permanently etching the Finn's beautiful smile.

"I'm Tino."

* * *

My original idea was to stop here but then it wouldn't be much of a romance. Plus, we still need the doggie's name xD

Thanks for reading! :)


	3. Chapter 3

Yay! New reviews and viewers! Thank you so much! :D

I was originally planning to update each chapter every four days but all the views made me ecstatic that I just had to write xD

To my new reviewer: Do not worry! There will be more chapters! xD And thank you so much for your support.

Ah, yes, I forgot to include this in the first and second chapter but criticism is welcome because I need your help to improve :)

So, without further ado, Chapter 3!

* * *

Tino was excited. He was even more excited than the time he received a huge box of salmiakki for Christmas (though he got a stomachache from eating too much) from his uncle. Rarely anything topped that memory, but undoubtedly Tino knew that what he anticipated today would be much more rewarding than his salty liquorices. The reason for his enthusiasm was after Tino and Berwald introduced each other, Tino had feebly suggested if they could meet at lunch. Much to his surprise (though the blonde had a feeling Berwald wouldn't object), the older blonde agreed with another nod.

"_Well…where should we meet?" the young Finn asked softly though inside he was bubbling up with joy._

"'_nywh're. I 'su'lly eat 'lone or w'th h'm," The deep voice replied nodding towards the composed puppy who happily wagged his tail when Tino scratched his head. _

"_Oh. Well then…should we eat out here together with him? And we can think of a name while we're eating!" The Finnish student proposed, clapping his hands together in delight. Berwald's lip curved slightly to a slight smile as a response before dropping to his usual grim look. But Tino had seen the whole thing. It was amazing to even think that he could make his new acquaintance smile, even just a bit. Tino smiled in reply, his much wider but equally meaningful._

"'_kay." The familiar chimes echoed through the clearing. Tino stifled a sigh, suddenly feeling disappointed that time went so fast. Berwald, putting the puppy safely inside a snug box, looked up to see the petite blonde pout slightly. In a sudden impulse he gently laid his hand on Tino's golden locks. The Finn, startled, tensed slightly and Berwald was about to pull away his hand when Tino laughed softly, the melodic timbre like music to the Swede's ears. _

"_Oh! We're going to be late! I'll see you later!" _

Tino flushed even thinking about what had happened a few hours ago, but the smile on his face seemed permanent. Berwald was fun to be around and Tino couldn't help but giggle softly to himself when he remembered the warm hand on his head; he patted the top of his head.

"Having fun Tino?" a voice piped up as the blonde jumped in shock. He turned to his left to see a pretty chestnut-haired brunette with lovely emerald eyes that shone even under the fluorescent lights.

"Elizabeta-san!" The girl giggled.

"You seem awfully happy." Tino flushed, embarrassed. He caught the twinkle in her eyes as she leaned into him.

"What happened?"

"Oh…well it's nothing really," he murmured though it was obviously a lie. His short time with Berwald meant every bit to him, and Tino would continue to cherish every moment.

"So I'm guessing it doesn't have to do anything with Swede-san?" The petite blonde gaped like a fish, his lavender eyes widened in shock.

"W-Wha…h-how did you know?" he stammered out. Elizabeta grinned.

"Mmm…call it a woman's intuition." She huddled closer to Tino, linking their arms together, the glint ever present in her eyes.

"So, what's he like?" He blinked, coming to the conclusion that he should as well tell her; it was too late to even object.

"Well…he…he's very kind. To be honest I was a bit afraid of him at first, but then I saw how sweet he was to take care of an abandoned puppy. And although he's not very sociable, he's comforting…" his voice trailed off as the Finn suddenly realized he had blurted out everything. Elizabeta's eyes shone; her grin similar to an imp that made him feel a bit nervous.

"W-What is it?"

"Oh nothing!" she exclaimed and clapped her hands, letting go of his arm. "Roderich must be looking for me so I'll leave first. Let's talk again real soon!" Tino watched her skip away and sighed. So much for being secretive. He touched his cheeks self-consciously only to find that they were burning. Weird. Perhaps all that talking that much made him a bit flustered. He leaned against the wall, dazed until he jerked forward in realization. It was lunch! He had planned to eat lunch with Berwald! Cursing to himself quietly, Tino sprinted down the hallway, eager to go outside once more.

* * *

Outside was faintly snowing, flakes fragile as crystal dancing in the air. Even if winter was harsh, the new falling snow was a sight to look at. But Tino didn't have time to admire the mesmerizing snow as he dashed out of the school and to the clearing. He spotted Berwald sitting on the snow, the puppy sitting between his legs and happily eating.

"Berwa-!" His voice cut off to a scream of sudden fear as his foot slipped under him. He closed his eyes bracing for a hard impact on the cold, hardened ground.

It never came.

Tino felt something hard, not at hard as the ground, and warm. The musky scent of earth and fresh pine on a rainy day filled his senses as Tino opened his eyes only to have his face inches away from Berwald. He then noticed strong arms wrapped around his waist in protection, pulled close to the giant's chest.

The reaction was instant as Tino's face exploded in colors of red. Cheeks painted red, lavender eyes wide with confusion, and light crystal flakes strung on his wispy eyelashes, it was hard not to see the breathtaking sight. It was silent, only the heavy breathings of the two, both breathless for different reasons.

"Y'….Y' 'kay?" the Swedish male asked softly. Tino nodded in a daze.

"Ah…y-yeah." They continued to stare until the Finn's face colored a few more shades. He quickly got off Berwald and patted his cheeks lightly, his eyes averted in embarrassment.

"I-I'm sorry. Are you okay?" Berwald gave a small grunt and sat up, dusting off snow from his thick jacket.

"'m 'kay. M're w'rr'ed 'bout y'." The cool air felt refreshing against his burning skin, and Tino continued to look away.

"I'm really sorry." Berwald didn't say anything. Instead, the large warm hand firmly patted his head, fingers entangled in his fine locks of hair.

"'m 'kay as l'ng as y're 'kay." The petite blonde gave a small nod and shifted comfortably to eat lunch. Guilt still struck him as he wondered if Berwald really was okay. But the older blonde wasn't showing any signs of pain, moving as if nothing had happened at all.

They ate without words, Tino occasionally glancing up at Berwald. In the peace among the gentle snowfall, he could not help but notice the giant's handsome features: the wheat-colored hair that brushed against his forehead and sky blue eyes that scanned their surroundings with alert. The bespectacled blonde glanced down at Tino who looked away, humiliated from being caught. It was still quiet, and the Finn could not help but suddenly feel awkward. A sudden thought burst through as his eyes gazed over at the fluff ball by Berwald.

"Ah! We still need to think of a name for him!" The Swede nodded. Tino scrutinized the puppy in a serious manner. No names struck him as he continued to think. Since his brain deemed to be useless to create a unique name, Tino decided to think of random objects that had similarities with the young pup.

"What about...Egg?" Tino suggested. Berwald glanced from the pupy to the Finn. Tino, noting Berwald's confused look made haste to explain.

"Well, he's white and round like an egg…but we could do some other name if you like," he added swiftly. The giant gave a small nod.

"Or maybe something like Thorn…or Brair or Flower-"the small blonde paused in a sudden epiphany.

"Su-san, what about Flower-Egg?" Berwald blinked, staring at Tino in surprise. Pools of sea blue captivated Tino as he stared back before realizing his friend's intent stare.

"Oh, guess the name's a bit silly."

"S'-san?" The timid male blinked rapidly, not understanding the words. He continued to blink until his mind backtracked on what he had said before. _"Su-san,"_

Tino let out a gasp and covered his mouth, face fully red once more, this time in utter humiliation. He realized that Berwald was still staring at him and jumped at once to fix to confusion.

"I'm sorry, for the weird nickname. It was just…Elizabeta-san called you Swede-san and…I sort of shortened it to Su-san. I thought it would be a nice nickname but really, I had no idea why I blurted it out and I guess it was on my mind so it slipped out and-"Berwald put a hand on Tino's shoulder, calming the younger boy who stopped his rambling.

"'s 'kay. B'th n'mes 're f'ne." Tino let a small smile escape, secretly happy.

"R-Really?"

"Nn." He gave a confirmed nod to which his companion let out a small laugh in relief. The Finn gently grabbed the newly named puppy and ruffled his fur.

"You hear that? You're now Flower-egg!" Flower-egg drew a content bark in reply and snuggled closely to the warm body. They sat together, huddled up, both satisfied with each other. Tino continued to smile dreamily, watching snow fall around them, blanketing every object to its purity. It was silent once more but there was no more of an awkward atmosphere; tranquility in its wake.

"S-Su-san?" Tino liked how the nickname rolled off his tongue, just like 'Berwald.'

"Nn?"

"Thank you."

* * *

Oh, Elizabeta-san, it's not woman's intuition...it's yaoi alert :D

I've reread the story several times and it sort of feels like it's a bit fast-paced...what do you think? D:


	4. Chapter 4

Sorry for the slightly late update, my weekend was busy and I was in a bit of a stump on how to write chapter four.

.....Yes! :D

Gosh, you guys are so sweet...I always feel so giddy when people write comments about my stories. I literally was giggling to myself, my mom thought I was insane. Love you guys!

Denmark makes an appearance here, but since I'm using human names, I decided to use Mathias (his name from fans) since he doesn't have an official name.

Okay, so yeah....well enjoy!

* * *

The hallway was empty, only the clacks of boots and loud sighs resounding through the halls. The usual perky and bright blonde was nowhere to be found as Tino walked sluggishly, a large stack of textbooks nestled between his thin arms. He let out another weary sigh and struggled to steady all the thick books. Why, oh why did he have to do all this labor?

It was the unfortunate time Tino walked into the office because that was when the secretary needed a huge favor from Tino. Obviously, the young Finn obliged but he would have taken those words back when he saw what he had to do. So, it was afterschool, and here Tino was, carrying textbooks (newly shipped in) back and forth from the office to the library. The first and second rounds carrying the heavy load went quite well, much to his surprise. But around the fifth load, his arms started to feel like jelly; Tino wouldn't have been surprised if they melted into a puddle of goo. Thinking of the upside to his situation (which there wasn't much of); Tino reminded himself constantly that it was for the benefit of the students. By the eighth round, he didn't care about the students anymore; it was his arms that needed the desperate attention.

Sweat laced on his forehead while his bangs were stuck as well, Tino rounded a corner only to collide into a body and drop all the books. The young blonde let out a groan, his arms numb to pain.

"Whoa! My bad!"

"Ah, yeah, it's fine," Tino mumbled gathering all the books back, feeling ridiculous to even thinking that it was alright for the other being to run into him. Of course, the blonde chided himself mentally that it really wasn't anyone's fault.

"No, really! Sorry about that. Here, I'll help." The load suddenly seemed lighter as Tino's shoulders sagged in relief. His eyes roamed up to cast a glance at his savior. In front of him stood a tall, broad-shouldered boy with wild honey hair spiked in different angles. His azure eyes sparkled under the harsh lights, and a good-natured grin was plastered on his face. Tino remembered that this friendly blonde was a Danish student whom he had seen around school before.

"Thank you very much," Tino replied softly, his eyes reflecting the other blonde as some kind of hero…which he was, to Tino. The taller male let out a laugh.

"No problem! I'm Mathias, Mathias Kohler," he greeted shifting all the books under his arm, letting his free hand out to shake Tino's.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Tino." The petite blonde tried to free his hand to return the extended shake but his other arm began to wobble dangerously and Tino momentarily retracted his hand to balance the books. Mathias chuckled and clasped the Finn's shoulder instead.

"So what are you doing with all these books?" he started while they walked together.

"Well, the secretary at the office asked me if I could transfer all the new books to the library since she was busy. And…yeah, here I am now."

"Wow. So you were carrying all those books…by yourself?" Tino confirmed with a nod. "Wow. Shouldn't someone have helped you?" The Finn had thought about the suggestion but he figured everyone would be busy with extracurricular activities. He considered calling Su-san but the blonde was nowhere to be found.

"Yeah. But I figured I could just do it by myself…why trouble anyone else?" Mathias stared at Tino in wonder like he was some kind of idol. But it was amazing that the blonde- with barely any meat on his bones- could carry that large of an amount and run back and forth.

"Wow…you're amazing." Tino felt himself go red at those words but realized that it was just a meaning of admiration. Amidst all the talking, the duo finally arrived at the library where the last bit of the textbooks had been dumped into the care of the grateful librarian; the two got coupons for a free meal at the school's cafeteria. The two exited the school building, heading towards the dorms.

"So I'll see you around?" Mathias asked. Tino gave a nod and smiled, glad to have made another friend. The shorter blonde was just about to leave when he felt a hand on his shoulder; stopping him.

"Hey! Wanna eat lunch with me tomorrow?" Mathias asked, the bubbly smile still present (it had never faded during their meet.)

"W-Well…I planned to eat with Su-sa, I mean, Berwald. But, we can eat together some other time." The reaction was instant as the smile faded to a grim line. Tino blinked, puzzled. The Danish male stared hard at the young Finn, making him feel a bit uncomfortable under the intent gaze.

"Er…is something wrong…Mathias?" The taller blonde blinked as if out of a trance.

"Oh…yeah! Of course I'm fine, Finn!" he slapped Tino's back lightly in a playful manner but it stung to the younger blonde who cringed.

"Okay well, I'll meet with you next time." Tino smiled, concluding that Mathias' sudden change wasn't really anything to worry about. But as he walked, Mathias continued to stare at him, a lost, hollow look in wake.

* * *

A pretty pointless chapter but we got to meet Mathias! :D

And sorry that there wasn't Su-san in this chapter. He'll come out in the next one.

Thanks for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

Yay! Chapter 5! Wow, I still think this story is going by fast...hahah.

Again, thank you for all the reviews. Made me super happy (giggled to myself again) so I decided to post this chapter as soon as I could...which was today! :D

And Su-san disappeared the last chapter but you'll understand why ;)

Oh! And a bit of an AlfredxArthur moment. They're cute together~

Well! Enjoy!

* * *

It was weird. Absolutely, positively weird. There he stood in the clearing, expecting his friend to be there, only to his surprise was the clearing completely empty, the passing wind mocking the bare visage. Where had the gentle giant gone?

Tino found it strange that he did not grasp any sight of Berwald in the past two days. During his first encounter with Mathias, the Finn dismissed the Swedish male as probably being busy. But Tino had not seen him in the morning, the passing periods, or even snack. And it was lunch right now! Usually, they had lunch together outside with Hanatamago (as Honda Kiku said…it sounded much better than Flower-Egg). But Berwald was nowhere to be found. At first, Tino felt childish since he was overreacting a bit. After all, Berwald probably had a couple other friends he hung out with. But then again…he always ate lunch alone. The blonde shook his head, scoffing at himself for being such a worry-wart, especially since there was probably nothing to worry about. But he couldn't help but feel that prick of uneasiness that slowly began to grow and consume his whole being. Halfway through the lunch period, Tino couldn't take it anymore. He had to find Berwald.

Making sure Hanatamago was back safe and sound in the box, Tino returned to the school building in search of anyone that had seen or heard his friend. Luckily he did not need to search long as he saw one of Berwald's classes (they had exchanged schedules during their encounter) nearby. Tino gingerly knocked on the door and waited as the door swung open. He came face-to-face with a tall bespectacled honey-haired blonde (he always seemed to attract blondes with glasses…) with an odd crescent at the top; he also sported crystal-like blue eyes. The blonde's face was smeared with ketchup and bits of bread crumbs.

"Oh! Alfred-san!" Tino greeted. The American grinned and let out a muffled noise of some sort, his mouth stuffed with what looked like hamburgers.

"Who is it Alfred?" another voice called from inside as Alfred let the young Finn inside. The classroom was relatively warmer, what with the heater cranking, and Tino discarded his thick jacket on a table. Arthur was in one of the desks drinking a piping hot cup of tea; Tino greeted him timidly whom returned a nod. Several greasy wrappers were scattered around the room which obviously belonged to the president of the student council.

"So! Tino! What can we do for you?" Alfred asked taking a seat across Arthur. The petite blonde rubbed his arm.

"W-Well, I was hoping if either of you had seen Berwald today…or know where he is." The British gentleman rose a thick brow at the topic of the aforementioned Swedish whom he and Tino had talked about before.

"Berwald…oh, Swede-san! Can't say I've seen him today. But I can help you find him, it's what heroes do, you know." Tino couldn't help but be disappointed, his face slightly downcast as the last bit of hope shriveled. Arthur cleared his throat, as if in a reminder that he was still there.

"I didn't see him-"the young Finn stifled a sigh, "-but I heard he's in his dorm right now. Apparently he's caught a cold." Tino was thrilled that he finally knew where Berwald was, but the sudden news was alarming to him. Arthur, catching sight of the silent but fretting Finn, spoke up once more.

"I can show you where his dorm is." The blonde held himself back from jumping and hugging the British (he was aware of his sharp tongue…) but the shine in his lilac eyes gave it all away. Even Alfred seemed astonished as he nudged his friend teasingly on the ribs. Arthur frowned, pushing the American away though it was hard not to notice bits of red dusted on his cheeks.

"I-I'm just helping out since Berwald needs someone to help him anyway," the Brit retorted. Alfred grinned smugly like a Cheshire cat, his chin nestled on his palms, his elbows balanced on top of the table.

"Sure. Believe in what you want. But the hero-that's me- knows the truth." Arthur slipped a low growl but the noise died away as he realized Tino was still there. Clearing his throat, the British male gestured the Finn out. Just as he was about to close the door, Alfred called his name, and the Brit looked over his shoulder only to have a kiss blown to him. Cheeks splayed red, Arthur swatted the imaginary kiss away, showing disgust. But inside, his stomach tickled with butterflies.

* * *

The duo arrived on the floor where Berwald was currently housed in. Arthur, during their walk, had informed Tino that the Swedish student must have had a severe cold since he never was one to skip school. This worried Tino even more. They arrived at Berwald's door and Arthur rapped his knuckles lightly on the hard wood.

"Berwald?" he called softly. There was no answer and as they waited nothing happened. The young Finn fretfully bit his fingernails and trembled softly, his head bursting with exaggerating questions. What if Su-san was so sick that he had to be hospitalized? Or even worse, he couldn't come to school anymore and go back to Sweden and spend his remaining time with his family? Would he die? Would he really leave Tino alone? The anxiety gnawed through the remainder of his hopes that he was on the brink of tears.

Luckily, the door creaked open at that moment and the familiar brooding eyes peeked through before it fully opened to reveal all of the Swedish.

"Su-san!" Tino shouted in relief ready to hug his friend when he recoiled, catching sight of the vice-president. Arthur, feeling awkward, scratched his head.

"Well, good to see you Berwald. I brought Tino so he can help you with your cold." The smaller blonde nodded encouragingly. The large male, as if in a daze, nodded slowly.

"'kay. Th'nk y' 'rthur-s'n." Bidding a good evening, Arthur walked away, leaving the two out in the hallway. Berwald was about to invite the blonde in when he noticed Tino's large lavender orbs staring at him.

"S'm'thing wr'ng T'no?" he asked softly. Tino snapped back to reality and smiled in relief.

"No, no. I was just glad you were still here Su-san." Berwald's sea blue eyes reflected sudden alarm as twin trails of tears slid down Tino's cheeks. Instantly, his fingers were upon the smooth face, wiping away the tears of relief. The Finnish male sniffled and let out a soft laugh.

"I-I'm sorry Su-san. I shouldn't be crying like this. Let's go inside, you're still sick and it's cold outside."

"'s 'kay. Y' c'n cry wh'n'ver y' w'nt." Tino smiled and wiped away the remainder of his tears.

"Okay. Now, come on. You should be in bed."

* * *

During the hour of what was supposed to be study hall, Tino remained in Berwald's room taking care of the sick giant. The resolution to get rid of a cold resolved in snuggling Berwald into a thick blanket (thank goodness his parents had packed one for him) and moving him to the bed, despite the male's pleas to stay on the couch and watch Tino in the kitchen (he blushed at that statement). The Finn luckily learned how to make soup from his mother when he was younger. While stirring the Pinaattikeitto, the wafts of cream and nutmeg surrounded the house, enveloping Tino into warm memories. He smiled whilst pouring the soup into a bowl and going to the bedroom. Berwald had busied himself with some books but his full undivided attention went straight to Tino as the young male walked in with piping hot soup.

Coaxing Berwald to eat was slightly difficult as the blonde replied he wasn't hungry. But Tino knew that he must have been on an empty stomach. So with pleading puppy eyes, Berwald ate his fill. Then after his cold medicine, Tino tucked in the blankets once more as the giant closed his eyes, his wispy eyelashes brushed against his face. With facial muscles relaxed and slumbering in a peaceful sleep, Tino couldn't help but find the blonde attractive; his face felt hot. Tidying the house a bit and leaving a note of his return- in case Berwald woke up before school ended- Tino silently closed the door shut and headed back to school.

Along his way, Tino caught sight of a familiar figure in the distance and ran up to greet his friend.

"Moi! Mathias! What are you doing out here?" Instead of the friendly grin, a serious look was on his face. The Finn cocked his head.

"Is something the matter?"

"What are you doing out here? Where were you?" His timbre trembled and Tino knew something was wrong.

"W-Well, Berwald was sick so I went over to take care…" his voice trailed off as Mathias stiffened, his eyes narrowed. Nervous, though he had no idea why, Tino gulped inaudibly, forcing a laugh to relieve the tension.

"Mathias…what's wrong?"

"Stop hanging around him." Tino blinked in surprise, taken aback. Something was positively off about Mathias; he usually wasn't so…serious. And what was all this nonsense about not hanging around with Su-san?

"Why?" he questioned, brows knitted in confusion and slight worry. Mathias swallowed thickly; a noise resonated in the back of his throat. It seemed as if he was restraining himself by the looks of his body which was stiff yet slightly trembling.

"J-Just…just don't."

"But I don't understand, Mathias. Why would you say that?" The taller male clenched and unclenched his fingers into a fist in some sort of relief. And as he spoke, the wind carried his voice away, echoing through the empty land, spoken with intent.

"Because you're too good for him." Tino certainly did not have time to reply back to such absurdity as the blonde mumbled a brief goodbye and slipped away. The Finn stood there, alone, wondering what such implications meant. The breeze whispering by felt good against his once-again burning face.

* * *

Oh Mathias, what's going on? You're worrying Tino! D:

Pinaattikeitto: Spinach soup. (It sounds good...with cream and nutmeg...mmmm :D)

Thanks for reading! :)


	6. Author's Note

Dear readers,

Firstly, I'd like to apologize for breaking my promise and not updating HOW for a long, long time. I know I've been gone since June, and I really want to say I'm sorry for leaving without a word. Simply put, I've just lost muse and once summer break started, I really was lazy to write -_-

Now I have some good news. And bad news. :O

**Bad news** is that this story will be held off for a while until I get some ideas back. Truthfully, Herald of Winter was supposed to be a oneshot, but I decided to expand it further without much thought. Again, sorry about that as well. Until I know how develop the relationship between Tino and Berwald, and let's not forget Mathias, this story will be on hiatus.

**Good news** is that I am planning on creating a oneshot (yay! :D). I'm currently brainstorming the plot and I've got pretty much everything set together. I'm not exactly sure when I'll submit it, but it should be close to this week or so. If you want to read the summary, please go on my profile, it will be posted in the announcement section.

Once again, I'm sorry for leaving and just suddenly coming back without notice. Thank you to all the reviews and all the favorites, I really, REALLY appreciate it.

Oh yes, and thanks to all the criticism about Herald of Winter. I understand that the whole suffix '-san' doesn't work well, so I'll make sure to edit everything if I can.

So, thanks for reading this, and I'm really sorry if anyone thought it was an update, hehe. Just an author's note, sorry!

Please look forward to my new oneshot that I'm working on, and I hope you all can enjoy my future stories!

xPaperWingsx


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